Corsair's Raptor HS30 and Raptor HS40 are twins, apart from their tails, the HS30 uses 3.5mm plugs while the HS40 is connected via USB. Neither set will cost you more than about $60 and they sport decent sized 40mm neodymium drivers with a frequency response range of 20 – 20,000Hz. Both headsets offer inline volume and mute controls though only the HS40 comes with the Headset Control Panel to allow virtual 7.1 sound. Unfortunately Legit Reviews encountered several issues when reviewing these headsets, not enough to stop them from functioning but certainly enough to give them pause when considering recommending them for purchase.

"It was late-summer in 2012 when Corsair announced it had acquired Raptor Gaming, a German based maker of gaming peripherals. Corsair gained both a European based headquarter to distribute its wide range of computer hardware and Raptor Gaming’s entire portfolio of keyboards, mice, headsets, and accessories, which formed a new series of gaming products alongside Corsair’s Vengeance gaming products. Corsair has respected the Raptor name and not only continues to maintain many of the acquired products, but has integrated the name into new products. New Corsair Raptor products represent gaming products aimed at a more mainstream audience alongside the premium Corsair Vengeance peripherals. We look at the first ever Corsair Raptor headsets to be released, a pair called the HS30 and HS40 which join the rest of the 2013 Vengeance headsets for a refreshed lineup of Corsair gaming headsets."

The MP4Nation Brainwavz HM9 are portable over the ear headphones with a mini-jack connection, perfect for laptops and mobiles without a proprietary jack. Those using it on a cellphone will appreciate the microphone built in to the wires as well as the extra length that is provided. TechPowerUp liked the sound and design of the headphones but caution you to pay attention to the price, at the $120 preorder price they are a good bargain; not so much at the recommended $150 price point.

"MP4Nation is well known for their budget friendly headphone lineup. These solid over-ear headphones also come with a huge bundle and are built for a life on the go. Their pre-order price of $119 makes them a good price/performance option, too."

LogiTech's decision to discontinue the SqueezeBox upset a lot of people, enough that the folks at VidBox designed replacement hardware for use with your MySqueezeBox account. It comes with two USB ports and HDMI, though you may end up filling one with a USB WiFi adapter as wireless connectivity is not included. You can use the familiar Logitech Media Server as an interface to the OpenBox and should be able to recover everything available on your previous account. Check out more at MadShrimps.

"The OpenSqueeze Solo streaming media player is VidaBox's solution for the discontinued Logitech Squeezebox community and fans. We compare this little box which has some unique and interesting feature to other popular solutions for getting audio sources played through your favorite speaker set."

V-MODA's CrossFade M-100 is more than just a stereo noise isolating headphones, these are for the serious audiophile that owns a headphone amp and knows what OP-AMPs are. They will should just fine on your mobile device or plugged into a PC but to really hear the dual-diaphragm 50mm drivers at their best you need a powerful source. Even the cabling is impressive with a built in mic and the ability to share your audio by splitting the signal into another set of headphones. If you are looking for high end audio and are willing to pay the price you should check out the article at Benchmark Reviews.

"To get the most out of the CrossFade M-100 Headphones you will be wise to also invest in a headphone amplifier. The sound output from today’s smartphones might be enough to crap out your average best buy $10 headphones, but it just isn’t enough to get a truly satisfactory experience on a higher quality set of headphones let alone the CrossFade M100's. A lot of attention has quite rightly been given to sound quality and performance with equal attention also given to build quality and style. Don’t get me wrong, the experience is not disappointing by any means, I just need to point out that the dual-diaphragm 50mm drivers inside the CrossFade M-100 Headphones are so much more capable than you may think."

It offers clear sound with a 120dB signal to noise ratio (SNR), strong 600ohm headphone amplifier, asynchronous USB audio and swappable Op-Amps for DIY sound modification. Precision clock tuning technology further enhances audio fidelity, making Xonar Essence STU a great choice for discerning music lovers who need a quality DAC and headphone amplifier to drive the full capabilities of high-end headphones.

"We received considerable positive feedback from customers regarding the excellent sound quality of Xonar Essence ST/STX sound cards, which led us to develop Xonar Essence STU as a USB device that offers even more premium audio quality plus easy controls and connectivity to notebooks. This is another example of ASUS listening to the community and acting on consumer demand”, said Ives Chiu, Audiovisual Product Manager at the ASUS Multimedia Business Unit.

ASUS uses audio industry-leading components such as the Texas Instruments PCM1792A DAC and TPA6120A2 headphone amplifier, which supports up to 600ohm impedance. Also included are audiophile-approved WIMA FKP2 and Nichicon Finegold capacitors for balanced and rich sound.

To satisfy the most demanding users, Xonar Essence STU features precision clock tuning technology and asynchronous audio transfer. Both ensure accurate and jitter-free sound fidelity, allowing customers to enjoy music in its purest form. Bit-perfect playback is aided by support for ASIO audio drivers.

Complete ease of use
As an external device, Xonar Essence STU offers readily-accessible controls with no need to go into software menus. Customers can switch between low and high gain settings, accommodating better listening experiences across a wide range of headphones, from in-ear headsets (typically 16ohm-32ohm) to premium full-size headphones (up to 600ohm). This is especially useful with the increasing popularity of mobile devices, which normally ship with low impedance/high sensitivity headsets.

Xonar Essence STU has room for three swappable Op-Amps, which can be replaced by users to adjust tonal performance based on personal taste. This open-ended and customizable design is inherited from previous Xonar Essence audio products, and remains true to the series’ commitment to accommodating as many customer preferences as possible.

Additional advanced features are a jumper switch that re-routes sound via Xonar Essence STU, allowing it to be used as a pre-amplifier in conjunction with a dedicated power amplifier. Customers can opt to adjust master volume directly on the power amplifier without having to reach Xonar Essence STU controls. Also, a selectable DC servo headphone output can be activated to minimize pop noise which may occur when powering on.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING
The ASUS Xonar Essence STU will be available from late October worldwide with an MSRP of US$399.

The Ozone Rage 7HX has two 40mm drivers with a frequency response range of 20 to 20kHz and offers virtual 7.1 surround as opposed to covering your head in multiple speakers. That certainly helps with the weight but some purists are not satisfied with virtual surround on headsets while many gamers just want to hear someone sneaking up behind them. Funky Kit did like the virtual surround when gaming but also took advantage of the ability to turn off the virtual surround when listening to music or videos. Check out their review here.

"First I want to thank Ozone Gaming Gear for sending me this awesome Rage 7Hx 7.1 Surround headset. Its a 7.1 surround headset with a volume control module, it has a detachable microphone what i find very nice, sometimes the mic is just sitting in your way if you are not talking to anyone. And like the title said this is the White version of the Rage 7HX, there is also a Black one available."

One of the best features about the Antec AMP SP1 Bluetooth speaker is that it recharges via USB which means you can skip the power cord and not have to buy batteries all the time, though you will have to remember to charge it. It has a 3.5mm jack for direct connection as well but it is easily paired with any Bluetooth capable device with an easily accessible button on the top, between the volume control. The LED on the side not only indicates successful pairing but also gives you an idea of the status of the battery. Drop by Legit Reviews to get an idea how it sounds.

"Antec has been a popular brand for high-performance computer components and accessories for the PC upgrade and do-it-yourself (DIY) markets since 1986. Times are certainly changing in the PC industry and many companies are evolving in order to stay relevant. Antec noticed that the market was changing and in 2012 they introduced a new global electronics division called Antec Mobile Products or A.M.P with the goal of putting state of the art mobile and audio technology into the hands of every user. AMP has introduced a number of headsets, USB power banks and even a speaker. Today, we’ll be looking at the AMP SP1 Bluetooth Speaker, which is the companies first and only speaker solution."

German manufacturer Roccat recently took the wraps off of the Kave XTD 5.1 Digital gaming headset at Gamescom last week. The new headset is a 25% lighter update to the original Kave 5.1 and has a tweaked headband and mic. The new Kave XTD 5.1 Digital includes 5.1 over-the-ear style headphones, a removable microphone, and a desktop control pod with various audio controls.

The Kave XTD 5.1 Digital has three drivers per ear that are placed at a 12-degree angle and reportedly provide realistic surround sound. The removable microphone has been reworked to provide better sound quality, according to the Roccat press release.

In addition to the headset itself, the Kave 5.1 Digital comes with a control pod with built-in sound card. The desktop remote has a volume dial, mic mute, phone call answer, speaker, and movie mode buttons. Four 3.5mm audio ports on the control pod allow users to connect and control surround sound speakers. Users can then switch between audio going to speakers or the headset by hitting a button on the desktop remote. Further, it has a technology called Smart Link that allows users to pair the pod with a smartphone over bluetooth in order to answer phone calls without removing the headset.

In all it looks like an interesting product, though I would wait for reviews before putting down cash for a 5.1 headset. The Roccat Kave XTD 5.1 Digital will be available in november for $169.99.

If the change from the 30 pin connector to the Lightning connector has made your high end audio with an iThang dock obsolete then this review from Legion Hardware might make your day. The tiny little Dolry HiFi Stone S will plug into that 30 pin dock and accept either AirPlay or DLNA streaming over WiFi which will allow both iThangs and Android devices to stream music to the stereo. Since it uses WiFi and not Bluetooth you get a longer range and much better sound as you can stream up to 150Mbps instead of Bluetooth's paltry 2.1Mbps. It does cost about $90, but that is still a lot cheaper than a new stereo.

"So, here we have an exceptional little piece of hardware that will both impress and come in handy in many situations. Even down to chucking it into your pocket when heading off to a weekend BBQ to impress the in-laws while taking over their sound system! Less impressive however is the price tag – at a substantial $89 it is a little hard to swallow. In saying that, there is certainly a great market out there and those who will be willing to pay for it gladly, either to save selling off that expensive Bose sound system, or just to add it to a couple of average sound systems you have lying around the house."

The new TTesports Cronos headphones are a little more flexible than previous members of the Esports lineup as they will work with mobile devices in addition to your PC. They still use 40mm neodymium drivers and have a decent frequency response of 20HZ to 20KHZ and they have included a foldable microphone in the design for you to game or make calls with. Red & Blackness mods liked the padding and found wearing the headset comfortable over long periods of time which is even more important for mobile usage than gaming. Check out their full review to see you prefer these to the Beats headphones you see everyday.

"Today we take a look at some cool looking headphones that can be used with both a computer and with mobile devices such as cellphones, tablets, etc. They come from TTesports and they are called “Cronos”. Its obvious to me that a good amount of effort was put into making them as light weight as possible for mobile users. So lets take a closer look!"